What on earth is he doing in there?

Lea had been in the washroom for over twenty minutes, insisting he'd be out momentarily whenever Isa knocked on the door. Never once did he run the shower, the sink, the blow dryer, not even a toilet flush or brushing of teeth could be heard. The man had insisted that they leave soon if they wanted to catch the beginning of the meteor shower, and the rest of their friends had already left for the field, yet here they were, still at the castle as the sun slipped out of sight and the sky grew dark outside the window. Isa was sitting on the edge of the bed beside an enormous stack of blankets, waiting impatiently for his friend to finish his preparations so they could be on their way when he decided to prompt the man one more time.

"Lea," he called. "Have you changed your mind about this?"

"No! I'm just— I'm almost ready!"

His voice sounded flustered, perhaps even strained. Concerned, Isa approached the door and spoke softly through the wood. "Are you sick? Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine!" Lea now sounded increasingly agitated. "Just give me a second, I promise."

Defeated, Isa sighed and returned to his place on the bed. Tonight would be the night. He was going to get it all off his chest. He supposed one more run through his lines wouldn't hurt — he'd already rehearsed them in his head over and over while he waited for Lea to come out. The anticipation was driving him mad. The whole thing was beginning to feel like one of his apologies — the hours spent agonizing over what to say and how to say it, practicing in the mirror, tearing his hair out with the crippling anxiety of it all. But all the while, he reminded himself that this was Lea. Lea was his best friend, and he should be able to trust by now that nothing he could say tonight would drive him away. It didn't make it any easier, but he took comfort in knowing he had that safety net ready for his inevitable fall.

"Okay!" Lea exclaimed as he burst through the door out of the bathroom. "You ready, Isa?"

He looked exactly the same as he always did. There was no change to his appearance whatsoever. No extra frills or embellishments. From his clothes to his hair to his face, he was still just Lea. He looked perfect. "I've been ready for fifteen minutes."

"Well, then, let's go!"

They gathered the mound of blankets and hurried out the door, rushing through the halls as quickly as they could with their arms so full.

"Do we really need all this?" Isa asked, staggering under the disorganized pile he carried. "It's not supposed to be cold."

"It's not about temperature, it's about nostalgia!"

Isa shook his head, concealing the smile that crept into his face. "If you say so."

When they had finally made it to their place on the hill, they found their friends all picking out spots of their own, scattered throughout the field among other townsfolk who had come to watch the event. Roxas and Xion could be seen off to their right, chatting and looking shy as they sat on the grass together. Demyx and Luxord were far behind them, comfortably lying side-by-side on their backs as they conversed. Aqua was a fair distance away where the ground was flat, sitting quietly with her arm around Ventus, listening to Terra as he appeared to tell a fascinating story. Even the apprentices, accompanied by Ansem the Wise himself had come to join. It was a rare sight to see them all looking so cheerful. Most everyone was stressed about the situation with Xigbar, all wrapped up in their nerves about the possible restoration of their greatest nemesis, but for now, to see them so relaxed as they indulged in their first real break was immensely satisfying. They deserved every second of this merriment, and like the rest of them, Isa was determined to milk it for all it was worth.

"Look, Isa! I see one!"

Lea was pointing to a spot overhead where Isa caught a glimpse of the first falling star, slowly descending with a long trail behind it before blinking out of sight. "I see it, too."

"Did you make a wish?"

"I didn't need to," Isa replied thoughtfully. "I have everything I would ever wish for."

Lea paused for a breath, almost looking confused, as if he were unsure whether Isa's answer was serious. He quickly recovered and broke into a laugh. "That's the cheesiest thing you've ever said."

Grinning, Isa shrugged. "You smiled anyway."

Lea chortled and landed a playful nudge on Isa's shoulder. "You're the worst!"

It was a perfectly clear night without a single cloud in the sky. They were silent as they curled up inside their blankets and watched the tiny lights drag across the heavens above them. There was a collective spark of excitement and thrill every time the crowd caught sight of a meteor beginning its cascade, and Isa relished every soft gasp he heard from Lea whenever another star came down. Children were squealing with delight and adults were oohing and aahing. Isa recalled quite vividly that same little leap in his chest from when they watched the phenomenon as boys, though whether it was the meteor shower or something else entirely, he never was certain.

Nearly an hour passed and Isa's focus had wandered until it settled on Lea. Exhilarated by the joyous expression of awe on his face, from the glow of the starlight to the winsome smile, he could not so easily look away. As magnificent as it was to witness such a rare celestial event, the stars tumbling out of the sky could never compete with the stars in Lea's eyes. Any moment now, Isa would open that conversation. He was just working up the nerve when Lea spoke first.

"Man, it's just as beautiful as when we were kids…"

He would have liked to say something. Perhaps agree with him, or tell him that it was far more beautiful tonight, but his tongue twisted into a knot and he was lost for words. He fixed his gaze on the sky again, praying he hadn't been caught staring. Then, before he could unclench his stomach, his breath caught at the sudden warmth of Lea's hand slipping over his. He froze, unsure how to react as those delicate fingers linked between his own. His hands were sweaty — surely Lea would be repulsed. They were starting to tremble. He'd die of embarrassment if Lea found out. Hastily and with much reluctance, he pulled away from him, internally chastising himself as he drew up his knees. If that was the opportunity he'd been waiting for, he'd done a fantastic job of blowing it. He couldn't even look at Lea now. He didn't want to see the confusion and disappointment in his eyes. Isa could already feel it in the atmosphere.

"Isa," Lea prodded. "Let's talk."

Isa swallowed hard and feigned a casual demeanor. "What about?"

There was a brief hesitation. He could hear Lea gulp as well. "I… well, uh…"

For Isa, it was almost a relief to find Lea looking as anxious as he was. "Yes?"

"Well, I just…" Lea started, then paused to think before beginning again. "I guess I thought I was getting some signals from you, but maybe I misinterpreted."

Isa could feel his cheeks flushing and quickly buried his face in his knees, ashamed of himself for his failure to follow through on those very signals and commit to the desires behind them. Lea could see right through him. He knew exactly what was in Isa's head, yet he still couldn't spit out the words. Isa sighed, lost in his embarrassment. Lea deserved so much better than this blundering coward for a partner. He deserved someone with conviction. Someone proactive, determined and confident. At the moment, Isa felt the complete opposite, like he'd shrunk to the size of a mouse.

The forlorn quality to Lea's voice stung like a spear through his heart. He could hear the pain in his sigh as he spoke. "I see," he whispered. "So I was wrong…"

Say something, you idiot!

"No, Lea," he confessed. "You weren't wrong at all."

He shifted to where he could face Lea directly, unwilling to let himself avert his eyes for any reason, his nerves be damned. "I am ready to have that conversation, if you are."

Lea matched his resolute expression and nodded. "Okay. You start."

Isa took several breaths — too many, enough to clearly indicate his sense of mortal terror. Now he was dizzy, but he wasn't about to back out of it now. He cleared his throat and began. "Well, Lea, I have been experiencing…" he trailed off, having forgotten his lines. Don't panic. He skipped ahead and tried again. "S-Sometimes it feels like…" his mouth was getting dry. The words weren't coming to him. "With you, I…"

He exhaled sharply. He was normally so eloquent. His vocabulary had been so refined for a man with little to no education, yet now he couldn't manage even the simplest of words. He'd always had such a deep resonance to his voice, a low pitch and soft timbre that rested in perfect balance between breathy and clear, and his tone had always been reserved and pensive. Now, he stammered and choked like a pubescent teen. His speech had once been elegant. Sophisticated. Now, he sounded like a buffoon.

"This is harder than I thought it would be."

Lea giggled, taking some of the weight out of the atmosphere and easing just a fraction of Isa's nerves. "Just say what you're thinking. It doesn't have to be poetic."

It was the moment of truth. He'd long since passed the point of no return, and Lea was waiting for him to say what he needed to say. Isa closed his eyes, stalling as he drew in one last, slow inhale.

"I'm attracted to you."

He had no sooner finished his declaration then Lea's jaw dropped and his eyes sprang open. Isa held his breath, ready to collapse on the spot. He couldn't read anything in his friend's expression other than surprise, and for several agonizing seconds, the man didn't say anything. Before he could panic himself to death, Isa pressed him.

"How was that?"

There was no change to Lea's face. His eyes were still wide and his mouth still hung agape. "That was perfect."

Isa released the air he'd been holding in his lungs, at least relieved that Lea hadn't been scared away. Yet. "Lea, I haven't forgotten us," he continued. "Maybe things can't be the way they were before. They don't have to be, I suppose. But I'd still like to explore that option… whatever it might entail."

They were just kids before. They'd never had relationships previously. Sometimes, it was an adventure. Other times, it was more than a little awkward, but the two became each other's first everything. Lea trusted Isa with his innocence, and Isa trusted him with his heart, handling him with care, protecting him with his entire being. They were inseparable, neither having felt as close to another person as they did to each other. It was an immature relationship, one that ultimately did not withstand the loss of their hearts, but Isa had grown to love Lea more than anyone and anything, and he could only hope that the boy he called his best friend had felt the same way.

His request was met with still more speechless staring. Things were different now. They were grown men, and maybe Lea's feelings didn't line up with his own. Isa was prepared to accept that, as heartbreaking as it would be. All he really wanted now was for Lea to just say it. Let him down gently so that he could move on.

"Your silence is killing me," he said impatiently.

Finally snapped out of his trance, Lea cleared his throat and stammered out a response. "S-Sorry, I guess I got nervous too…"

"Just say what you're thinking."

"Exactly what I'm thinking? There's kids around, Isa…"

Isa blushed a deep shade of crimson, having not expected such a bold answer. He thought back to all the times he'd fought so desperately to hide his obvious arousal in Lea's presence, how often he'd buried away those impulses, as if he were terrified of his own lewd desires. He began to sweat as he fixated on the gummi ship ride back to Radiant Garden, staring out the window and counting asteroids to keep his mind off of Lea's warm body snugly pressed into his lap. The heat that lit him up every time he stole a glimpse of the man's backside. The mortal terror he felt every time Lea moved, sliding over his legs, shifting his weight around, paying no mind to where his hands were going. It all felt so wrong to Isa, like he was disrespecting his best friend, only to now learn that Lea had been having exactly the same thoughts? Was he aware of the sort of images that flashed through Isa's mind, against his own will, but still to his obscene delight?

Lea chuckled lightly when he caught sight of Isa's expression. "Heh, just kidding," he reached out and affectionately touched his arm. "Anyway, you can relax. I'm attracted to you, too. You look good for a guy who spent ten years in hell."

Isa happily obliged the command and let his body collapse, finally able to feel some semblance of calm. "That's… That's a relief."

There was a hiatus wherein Isa had again run out of things to say. Thankfully, Lea clearly wasn't finished with the conversation. "So," he ended the beat of silence. "Now that we've got that out of the way, what are you afraid of?"

Isa had battled with that very question himself for weeks on end. He self-analyzed, contemplated his new emotions, his old emotions. He cycled through his memories, explored his heart. For the longest time, he just couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew the answer was deep inside him somewhere.

"We tried this before and it didn't work," he theorized aloud. "I think this time, I'm afraid that it will."

Lea's eyebrow lifted. "You're afraid to be happy?"

"I haven't been happy in ten years," Isa shrugged. "Saïx never felt even a glimmer of joy, satisfaction, pleasure… nothing. After awhile, he forgot how to fake it."

Lea dropped his eyes apologetically. "I didn't know that… Isa, I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," Isa shook his head. "What I'm trying to say is that now… happiness scares me. It's overwhelming. I start to feel out of control."

"I see what you mean," Lea nodded. "You're afraid to lose yourself."

"Yes."

Lea was quiet, stroking his chin for a moment. "You know, sometimes having emotions means you can get wrapped up in them. And some of them are more powerful than others. You definitely can lose control for a little while," he explained. "But it always comes right back. You eventually float back down to the ground and can go on with your life."

He clasped Isa's shoulder firmly. "Hell, you've been overwhelmed plenty of times already. That just comes with having a heart. But you're still on solid ground, right?"

"Right…"

"So, let yourself be a little overwhelmed. Lose control every once in awhile. It feels good," he concluded with a friendly nudge. "And hey, if you totally lose yourself, I'll reach up there and drag you back down to earth. Got it memorized?"

As far as Isa was concerned, Lea was the best thing to ever happen to him. From the moment he'd first met him, he knew that Lea was special. For many years, he'd been so focused on taking care of his scrawny, vulnerable friend that Isa had forgotten how well Lea cared for him as well. He protected Lea from pain, danger, and fear. Lea protected him from grief, sorrow, and loneliness. He protected Lea from the world. Lea protected him from himself.

"So… you accept?"

"You make it sound so formal," Lea laughed, shaking his head against his palm. "What, did you think I would say no?"

"Honestly," Isa's body curled inward. "I didn't think that far ahead. All my fantasies ended with me crumbling into a pile of dust the moment I asked."

Lea grinned widely. "You're adorable. Let's just see where this goes, okay? No pressure."

"Alright," Isa agreed. "No pressure."

They returned their attention to the meteor shower, content with the conversation and each a little giddy about the conclusion in their own way. Lea scooted a bit closer and rested his head on Isa's shoulder. He even smelled like he used to. A sweet, warm scent that Isa would never truly be able to describe with words. Now, the aroma was laced with something new — a mature musk that complemented his natural scent so perfectly. Lea had grown up. He was a man, now. Isa wanted so much to touch him, to breathe him in, but in his anxiety, he sat totally rigid, paralyzed. Lea, ever the more confident of the two, broke the ice like he had nothing to lose. It was always such an impressive feat, to make socializing, particularly of the intimate nature, look so effortless.

"So… What now? Do we recite the sonnets? Hold hands?" he leaned in, grinning slyly. "Do we start making out?"

Isa gulped as that dreaded heat crept up his neck and pooled in his cheeks again. "I suppose we do whatever we want. I don't think there are rules."

"And what is it you want to do?"

Lea was giving him that look again. The one from that night outside his bedroom. The one from the past. The one that begged Isa to take him and make him his. The desires shone clear as crystal in his eyes. The energy radiating from him was intoxicating, electrifying. His scent amplified almost like a pheromone. An all-too-familiar tension was breaking out over Isa's entire musculature, knowing that he wanted exactly the same thing.

"Hm," he stroked his chin, smirking as he played along. "I'd like to kiss you."

"Really?" Lea batted his eyelashes, exaggerating his intrigue and playfully drawing out the exchange. "Well, I'll have to take it up with the committee, but if you fill out one of the request forms at the front desk, then wait five to ten business days—"

"I think you're just using humor to hide your nerves," Isa teased with amusement.

"What? Pfft," Lea scoffed. "Not me. But if it's a kiss you want, you don't have to ask."

"Yes, I do."

Chuckling softly, Lea shrugged in surrender. "Alright, if you insist."

"Lea," Isa asked politely. "May I kiss you?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

It wasn't the first time he had ever kissed Lea. It wasn't the second, the third, or even the fiftieth. But to Isa, it was as if they had never kissed before. He leaned in to connect with Lea's forehead, just capturing his breath, resting against him. He still smelled exquisite. Isa could hear his heartbeat racing in time with his own. The sneaky bastard — Lea was nervous, too. Isa could see it in his eyes, could feel him trembling. It was a bold, risky move, and he lost his nerve several times before finally deciding to go through with it. When he could stand the anticipation no more, Isa shifted slightly and closed the gap between their lips, pressing a soft kiss into him. It was hesitant, rather than rushed. Patient, rather than eager. It was almost chaste in how modest and delicate it was, yet there was an unseen energy that surged through his body upon contact. The pleasure Isa felt in those few seconds was positively astounding.

They lingered there a few moments before finally parting, and Isa could only stare at Lea, entirely speechless as he tried to read his face. The man was clutching his chest, breathing heavily and looking flustered. Did he like it? Isa was so out of practice. Surely the years had taken a toll on his prowess. Had he disappointed Lea? Had he made a fool of himself?

Isa backed away, fidgeting a little in his embarrassment. "Sorry… I'm a bit rusty."

"No, no…" Lea insisted, still struggling to catch his breath. "That was good."

They sat in a daze for several tense moments, settling their nerves, waiting to float back to the ground. Isa was just regaining the clarity of mind to process the kiss when Lea spoke up in an irresistibly sultry voice. "Although, if you feel like you need more practice…"

Isa turned, grinning slyly. "So you'd like me to do it again?"

"Yes, please."

Isa was much less hesitant the second time. He dove in almost hastily, taking Lea's lips into a bolder, more passionate kiss than the last. Even Lea was more courageous, more daring. There were playful bites. There were dancing tongues. Their mouths drifted astray, trailing across blushing cheeks, along sharp jawlines, and down shuddering necks. Wandering hands were tangling themselves in colorful locks of hair, sliding under the hems of shirts, clasping eagerly at firm thighs. Isa had never felt such heat, such tension in his life. He could barely stand it. Just when he was certain he'd explode, he reluctantly broke the kiss, taking a glance at their surroundings and trying to hide his heavy panting.

"I think they're watching us."

Lea lowered his voice, sounding more seductive than Isa had ever heard him. "You want to take this somewhere else?"

Yes! Yes, sir! Lead the way! Isa was beside himself, so overwhelmed by his vicious desire that he couldn't think clearly. He clenched his fists, questioning his resolve as he felt himself gradually losing control. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to cry. He wanted to scream. It was all too much. He began to fear that he truly would lose himself if he so much as lifted a finger in the man's direction.

Lea backed off, scratching his head. "I'm sorry. I'm rushing things."

"No, don't apologize," Isa blurted. "I just… uh…"

"It's okay. We can take it slow," Lea reached out and took his hand, smiling warmly. "You can set the pace, okay?"

Isa returned his smile and squeezed his fingers. "We will set the pace."

In one last indulgence, Isa brought Lea's hand to his mouth and blotted one more kiss over his fingers. Lea blushed, snickering at the gesture before his gaze lifted upward and his eyes widened. "Oh man, one flew right over your head."

"And did you make a wish?"

He flashed a mischievous grin. "I might have."

Even though he hadn't seen it, Isa made a wish, too. He wished for Demyx to recover from his affliction and enjoy a thrilling life with Luxord. He wished to reunite them with Larxene and Marluxia. He wished to rescue Braig from whatever demons plagued him. He wished for Xion to find happiness in being alive and fully human, and for Roxas to find himself and discover his true purpose. Most of all, Isa wished to have Lea for a lifetime. To keep him, to belong to him, and to stay as they were forever. With Lea, Isa accepted that he could easily lose himself, but found it much less frightening every second he spent with the man. Twice now, Lea had vowed to drag him back to where he belonged, and Isa trusted him to keep that promise, just as he'd kept the others. As he watched the stars falling from above, he knew that no matter how high he'd soar, he'd find his way back to the ground. And, if he was going to lose himself in Lea, then he'd be more than happy to get lost.

Isa wrapped an arm around his shoulders as they turned their eyes on the sky once more. "I hope you get it."

Lea scooted as close as he could, leaning into the embrace. "Me too."

I can't tell you guys how long I've been waiting to post this chapter. I've been colloquially referring to it as "the chapter where they finally kiss" while working on it and I hope you find it as exciting and heartwarming as I do! These guys are my OTP and it's my hope that I can write this perfect couple the romance story they deserve.

Also, things are getting a little steamy, as you can tell, but I have promised both you and myself that there will be NO smut in this story. Everything remains in PG-13 territory here, and anything that doesn't will be posted separately later on!

Thanks always for reading!

I will go down with this ship!

Ostelan